Layoffs on tap in Macon

MACON - Macon Mayor Robert Reichert plans to lay off 31 city employees and slash 36 more vacant positions from the city payroll.

The cuts will take place by Jan. 15. They would cut about $2.6 million a year from the city's books.

Combined with other measures, the cuts will allow Reichert to include a pay scale for police, fire and general city employees in next year's budget. That would give some employees raises, as well as a clear expectations of salary increases in the future. That issue is been seen as crucial to keeping police officers on the job.